Core 2 Duo E6540 vs Core Duo T2400

Core 2 Duo E6540

2 Cores65 WW2007

Core Duo T2400

2 Cores2 Thrd2 WWMax: 1.83 GHz2006

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core 2 Duo E6540

2 /

1,495

+0.5%

Pentium U5600

Pentium Dual-Core E2200

Core 2 Duo E8400

Pentium Dual-Core E2220

1,488

0.0%

Celeron J1800

Pentium Dual-Core E2200

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core 2 Duo E6540 is positioned at rank 1009 and the Core Duo T2400 is on rank 1205, so the Core 2 Duo E6540 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo E6540

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

33993%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

32120%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

23322%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

7026%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

5565%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

4868%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

2788%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

2752%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

2506%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

2506%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

2478%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

2411%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

2377%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

2367%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

2346%

#1009

Core 2 Duo E6540

MSRP: $163|Avg: $15

100%

#1010

Celeron 430

MSRP: $49|Avg: $10

100%

#1011

Athlon X2 BE-2300

MSRP: $100|Avg: $80

99%

#1012

Core i7-875K

MSRP: $353|Avg: $175

98%

#1013

Core i5-670

MSRP: $284|Avg: $100

98%

#1014

Core i5-680

MSRP: $294|Avg: $10

97%

#1015

Core 2 Duo E4300

MSRP: $113|Avg: $5

97%

#1017

Core 2 Duo E4500

MSRP: $133|Avg: $10

96%

#1019

Core 2 Duo E7600

MSRP: $133|Avg: $50

94%

#1020

Core 2 Duo E8700

MSRP: $256|Avg: $30

94%

#1021

Core i7-3970X

MSRP: $990|Avg: $60

94%

#1022

Core 2 Duo E6550

MSRP: $163|Avg: $20

93%

#1023

Phenom X3 8450

MSRP: $145|Avg: $147

92%

#1024

Core i7-3960X

MSRP: $999|Avg: $60

92%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core Duo T2400

#1193

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

5798%

#1194

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

5713%

#1195

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

5245%

#1196

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

5221%

#1197

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

5174%

#1199

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

4996%

#1200

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

4791%

#1201

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

4783%

#1202

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

4654%

#1205

Core Duo T2400

MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A

100%

#1206

Core 2 Duo U7600

MSRP: $250|Avg: $5

100%

#1207

Pentium M 735

MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A

98%

#1208

Core i7-620LM

MSRP: $300|Avg: N/A

96%

#1209

Core i7-740QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

96%

#1211

Core 2 Solo SU3300

MSRP: $262|Avg: $50

94%

#1212

Celeron 540

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

94%

#1213

Celeron U3600

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

92%

#1216

Core 2 Quad Q9000

MSRP: $348|Avg: $15

91%

#1217

Core i5-2537M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

91%

#1218

Core i7-720QM

MSRP: $364|Avg: N/A

90%

#1219

Pentium U5400

MSRP: $289|Avg: $214

88%

#1220

Pentium T2330

MSRP: $150|Avg: $7

88%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core Duo T2400 leads in gaming performance. However, the Core 2 Duo E6540 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.5% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core 2 Duo E6540	Core Duo T2400
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($15)	⚠️ Higher cost ($294)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 65 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Yonah (2005−2006) / 65 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core 2 Duo E6540 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 95% cheaper ($15 vs $294) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core 2 Duo E6540	Core Duo T2400
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+1869%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($15)	⚠️ Higher cost ($294)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core 2 Duo E6540 Benchmark Check

Core Duo T2400 Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo E6540 and Core Duo T2400

Core 2 Duo E6540

The Core 2 Duo E6540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It has 2 cores. Base frequency: 2.33 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB L2 Cache. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,495 points. Launch price was $249.

Core Duo T2400

The Core Duo T2400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the Yonah (2005−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.83 GHz, with boost up to 1.83 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 31 Watt. Memory support: DDR1. Passmark benchmark score: 1,488 points. Launch price was $16.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo E6540 and Core Duo T2400 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. The Core Duo T2400 is built on the Yonah (2005−2006) architecture. In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo E6540 scores 1,495 against the Core Duo T2400's 1,488 — a 0.5% lead for the Core 2 Duo E6540. L3 cache: 4 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo E6540 vs 0 kB on the Core Duo T2400.

Feature	Core 2 Duo E6540	Core Duo T2400
Cores / Threads	2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	—	1.83 GHz
Base Clock	2.33 GHz+27%	1.83 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB L2 Cache	0 kB
L2 Cache	—	2 MB
Process	65 nm	65 nm
Architecture	—	Yonah (2005−2006)
PassMark	1,495	1,488

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo E6540 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core Duo T2400 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1333 on the Core 2 Duo E6540 versus DDR2-667 on the Core Duo T2400 — the Core 2 Duo E6540 supports 199.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core 2 Duo E6540 supports up to 16 of RAM compared to 4 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: P35,G31,G33,P45 (Core 2 Duo E6540) and 945GM,945PM (Core Duo T2400).

Feature	Core 2 Duo E6540	Core Duo T2400
Socket	LGA775	PGA478
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	1333+66550%	DDR2-667
Max RAM Capacity	16	4 GB+26214300%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Core 2 Duo E6540) vs VT-x (Core Duo T2400). Primary use case: Core Duo T2400 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core 2 Duo E6540 rivals Athlon 64 X2 6000+; Core Duo T2400 rivals Pentium T2310.